David McAllister (footballer)

David James McAllister (born 29 December 1988) is an Irish former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Born in Drogheda in the Republic of Ireland he started his senior career with Drogheda United before spells with Shelbourne and St. Patrick's Athletic. In 2011, he moved to England to play for Sheffield United, where he remained for two years before switching to Shrewsbury Town and then Stevenage. He later returned to Ireland with Shamrock Rovers where he retired.

David McAllister
Personal information
Full name David James McAllister[1]
Date of birth (1988-12-29) 29 December 1988
Place of birth Drogheda, Ireland[2]
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
Rush Athletic
Home Farm
Bohemians
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2008 Drogheda United 0 (0)
2008 → Shelbourne (loan) 16 (7)
2009 Shelbourne 30 (16)
2010 St Patrick's Athletic 32 (3)
2011–2013 Sheffield United 20 (2)
2012 → Shrewsbury Town (loan) 15 (0)
2013–2015 Shrewsbury Town 41 (2)
2014–2015 → Stevenage (loan) 12 (0)
2015–2016 Stevenage 5 (0)
2017–2018 Shamrock Rovers 39 (6)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 00:36, 13 December 2018 (UTC)

Club career

League of Ireland

Growing up in Rush, County Dublin, McAllister began footballing life at underage level with his local side Rush Athletic before progressing up the Dublin schoolboy ranks with Home Farm and Bohemians. McAllister made the step up to senior football with Drogheda United in 2007 as part of their under 21 panel. In 2008 McAllister was promoted to Drogheda United's first team for whom he made one appearance in a League of Ireland Cup tie against Shelbourne on 5 May 2008.

With first team opportunities restricted in an experienced Drogheda squad, McAllister was loaned to Shelbourne in July 2008 to gain first team experience. He made his Shelbourne début on 11 July 2008 as a substitute in a 2–0 home defeat to Limerick 37. McAllister scored seven goals in 16 league appearances for Shelbourne during his loan spell and his impressive displays were rewarded with a permanent move to Shelbourne for the 2009 League of Ireland First Division season. McAllister thrived in Shelbourne's 2009 campaign. He scored an impressive 19 goals in 34 league and cup appearances for Shelbourne as they finished First Division runners-up for a second consecutive season.

With aspirations to play International Under 23 and League of Ireland Premier Division football, McAllister departed Shelbourne following the 2009 season to join Dublin rivals St. Patrick's Athletic for the Saints' 2010 Premier Division campaign. He made 40 league and cup appearances, scoring 5 goals for St. Patrick's Athletic in 2010 and after a number of impressive displays he was attracting interest from further afield.

Sheffield United

In November 2010, McAllister undertook a trial with Sheffield United which resulted in him signing a pre-contract agreement to move there permanently during the January transfer window.[3][4] A few days after his move McAllister made his début for the Blades as a 75-minute substitute in an FA Cup tie against Aston Villa at Bramall Lane[5] but had to wait until late April to make his first league appearance, a game against Bristol City in which he scored his first goal for the club.[6] The Blades were struggling however and at the end of the season were relegated from the Championship.

With United now in League One McAllister was on the fringes of the first team squad making a handful of appearances in the first half of the season, predominantly in the various cup competitions during which he scored his only goal of the season against Burton Albion in the Football League Trophy.[7] Making good progress he was rewarded with a contract extension in January 2012 to keep him at Bramall Lane until the summer of 2014.[8]

He's done well for us, he's energetic, puts his foot in...
He can play too, but we can't keep him longer
than the 93 days allowed so he'll have to return to
Sheffield United before the end of the season.

Graham Turner, Shrewsbury Town Manager[9]

Immediately after signing his extension he was loaned out to League Two side Shrewsbury Town for a month to gain more first team experience,[10] with Shrewsbury manager Graham Turner describing him as "a strong player who can put his foot in and who has a good shot on him".[11] After a successful initial spell McAllister opted to extend his loan deal at the Shrews until the end of March,[12] and with the move working out well it was agreed to extend his loan until 14 April, two weeks prior to the end of the season.[9]

I've watched David in training with us since he
came back here and he's definitely improved...
He got regular football with a very good side
and that's benefited his education...
It's the little things in his game that have come on.
That's what you really notice.

Danny Wilson, Sheffield United Manager
upon McAlister's return from Shrewsbury[13]

McAllister was a regular starter for the Shrews during his time there, including playing in a home match against Port Vale which was abandoned after 64 minutes due to a fire at Greenhous Meadow, with Shrews 1–0 at the time.[14] McAllister's impressive run was temporarily halted at the end of March when he incurred a red card, being controversially sent off against Aldershot Town.[15] Shrewsbury Town tried to appeal against the red card to the Football Association (FA) using video evidence, but the appeal was rejected.[16] This meant that McAllister's automatic three game ban stood, effectively ending his stay with the Shrews.[16] McAllister returned to Bramall Lane as he wasn't able to play any more games for Shrewsbury that season.[17] On his return to Sheffield, Blades manager Danny Wilson stated that McAllister had returned a "much better player" and sympathised with him over his controversial sending off which ended his loan spell at Shrewsbury.[13]

With the Blades still in League One, the start to the 2012–13 season saw McAllister finally break into the Blades first team. He began to make regular starting appearances and scored the only goal against his previous loan employers Shrewsbury Town in the opening game of the season.[18] Having played regularly until November McAllister lost his place once more and deemed a fringe player, was allowed to leave as United looked to trim their squad.[19] During his time at Bramall Lane, McAllister made a total of 30 appearances and scored 4 goals.[19]

Shrewsbury Town

In January 2013 McAllister completed a move League One rivals and former loan club Shrewsbury Town for an undisclosed fee, signing a two and a half-year deal.[2] Manager Graham Turner said "It's just over a week ago that Sheffield United accepted a bid for David, so obviously we're pleased to have concluded the deal... Initially it was a surprise that they would sell him as he's figured in a lot of their games, but I think the fact that he has been here and knows all about us, knows the professional attitude and the work ethic here helped in his decision to join us."[2] McAllister scored his first goal in Shrewsbury colours on 2 March 2013 in a 3–1 defeat to Walsall at the Bescot Stadium.[20] McAllister picked up an ankle injury in March 2014, which saw him miss the season run-in as Shrewsbury were relegated to League Two.[21]

McAllister also missed the following pre-season, and was made available for loan by new manager Micky Mellon on regaining full fitness, joining Stevenage on an initial months loan on 16 October 2014.[22] The loan deal was later extended, with McAllister not returning to his parent club until the New Year.[23] He was released by the club, having come to an arrangement regarding the remainder of his contract, on 16 January 2015 and signed permanently with Stevenage four days later on undisclosed terms.[24]

Stevenage

After an injury hit 18-month spell with Stevenage, McAllister was released in May 2016.[25]

International career

McAllister's performances earned him a call up for the Republic of Ireland U23 national team in 2010, however he wasn't able to play due to an ankle injury.

Career statistics
As of 14 May 2016[26]
Club Season League League Cup League Cup Other 1 Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Drogheda United 2008 LOI Premier Division 0000100010
Total 0000100010
Shelbourne 2008 LOI First Division 1670000--167
2009 LOI First Division 30162111113419
Total 46232111115026
St. Patrick's Athletic 2010 LOI Premier Division 323212041405
Total 323212041405
Sheffield United 2010–11 Championship 211000--31
2011–12 League One 40202021101
2012–13 141101011172
Total 202403032304
Shrewsbury Town (loan) 2011–12 League Two 150000000150
Shrewsbury Town 2012–13 League One 151000000151
2013–14 League One 261101010291
2014–15 League Two 0000000000
Total 562101010592
Stevenage (loan) 2014–15 League Two 120200000140
Stevenage 2014–15 League Two 4000000040
2015–16 League Two 1000100020
Total 170201000200
Career total 17130112819419938

^Note 1 Competitions include League of Ireland Promotion/Relegation Play-offs, Setanta Sports Cup and the Football League Trophy

Honours
Shrewsbury Town

References
  1. "Professional Retain List & Free Transfers 2012/13" (PDF). The Football League. 3 June 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 August 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  2. "Shrewsbury Town sign Sheffield United's David McAllister". BBC Sport. 8 January 2012. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  3. "McAllister in Blades Wait". herald.ie. 6 November 2010. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
  4. "David McAllister talks to st.patsfc.com". stpatsfc.com. 18 November 2010. Retrieved 19 November 2010.
  5. "Sheff Utd 1 – 3 Aston Villa". BBC Sport. 8 January 2011. Retrieved 8 January 2011.
  6. "Blades V Bristol". BBC Sport. 23 April 2011. Retrieved 23 April 2011.
  7. "Burton 1 – 2 Blades". Sheffield United FC Official Web Site. 30 August 2011. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2012.
  8. "Extended deals for promising quartet". Sheffield United FC Official Web Site. 12 January 2012. Archived from the original on 12 July 2015. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  9. "Shrewsbury extend McAllister loan from Sheffield United". BBC Sport. 30 March 2012. Retrieved 30 March 2012.
  10. "McAllister makes loan move". Sheffield United FC Official Web Site. 12 January 2012. Archived from the original on 6 October 2015. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  11. "Shrewsbury Town sign McAllister from Sheffield United". BBC Sport. 13 January 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2012.
  12. "McAllister extends Shrews stay". Sky Sports. 13 February 2012. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
  13. "Boss likes what he sees as McAllister returns". The Sheffield Star. 18 April 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  14. "Fire at Greenhous Meadow puts paid to Shrewsbury Town's match with Port Vale". The Telegraph. 27 March 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
  15. "Graham Turner Post Aldershot Town". shrewsburytown.com. 31 March 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
  16. "Dave McAllister Appeal Decision". shrewsburytown.com. 3 April 2012. Retrieved 3 April 2012.
  17. "McAllister back with Blades". eatsleepsport.com. 4 April 2012. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
  18. "Blades 1 Shrews 0". BBC Sport. 6 December 2012. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
  19. "McAllister moves out". Sheffield United FC Official Web Site. 8 January 2013. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  20. "Walsall 3 Shrews 1". BBC Sport. 2 March 2013. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  21. "Shrewsbury Town's Dave McAllister hoping to return after injury". Shropshire Star. 29 May 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  22. "Stevenage sign Jack Jebb and David McAllister on loan". BBC Sport. 16 October 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  23. "LOAN NEWS: Grant, Passley and McAllister". Shrewsweb. 6 January 2015. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  24. "Macca Moves On From Town". Shrewsweb. 16 January 2015. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  25. "Stevenage: Jerome Okimo, Lee Cox & Aaron O'Connor among eight released". BBC Sport. 13 May 2016. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  26. "David McAllister Career Statistics Soccerway". Soccerway. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
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